MEMBERS of the Contra Costa Bahá’í faith held an interfaith prayer gathering on Friday, March 6 at the Walnut Creek Community Church of Christ to express their concern and support for the seven Baha’is who have been in prison in Iran for nearly a year and who are now to stand trial on false charges of spying for Israel and insulting Islam.

The announcement of an imminent trial has brought numerous protests from Bahá’ís around the world, including actor Rainn Wilson, better known as Dwight Schrute on the American version of the TV series “The Office.” In a commentary he wrote for CNN, Mr. Wilson said there was “zero evidence” to support the charges, and added that “since 1979, more than 200 Bahá’ís have been killed, holy places and cemeteries desecrated, homes burned, civil rights taken away and secret lists compiled of Bahá’ís”

The keynote speaker at the Walnut Creek gathering was Dr. Muin Afnani, a spokesperson for the Bahá’í International Community. Afnani, who has given numerous interviews in recent years to international media, explained that the prosecution of these seven innocent people is another example of the persecution which Bahá’ís in Iran have experienced since the inception of the faith in the mid-19th century. Afnani further added that although “genocide” is a very strong word, we may be witnessing this type of persecution in its early stages.

The Iranian Student News Agency announced on Feb. 11 that charges had been filed against the seven imprisoned members of the national-level committee that coordinates the activities of the Iranian Bahá’í community. The Bahá’ís deny categorically the charges, and no evidence against them has been brought to light. Their legal counsel, Nobel Laureate Shirin Ebadi, has not been permitted to see their files or visit them and has been harassed and intimidated by the Iranian government herself.

International reaction to the charges has come swiftly as governments, parliamentary leaders and human rights organizations have expressed strong criticism of any such trial. On Feb. 14, the U.S. House of Representatives introduced a resolution, HR 175, condemning the charges and calling on the government of Iran to release the Bahá’í leaders, echoing a similar statement released by U.S. State Department on Feb. 13. Afnani also indicated that all of the international pleas for the release of the seven Bahá’ís have fallen on deaf ears and they have not yet been released.

At this time, some 30 other Bahá’ís are imprisoned in Iran solely on account of their religion. Close to 80 more Bahá’ís have been required to post deeds of property and business licenses as collateral for bail. They have likewise been falsely charged and are awaiting trial.

Since the arrest, Bahá’ís around the United States have held hundreds of vigils and prayer gatherings in support of the imprisoned Bahá’ís. While the Contra Costa county Bahá’í faith community is small, at about 450 people, it is estimated that there are about 300,000 who follow the Bahá’í faith in Iran, and more than 5 million in the world.

The Bahá’í Faith is the youngest of the world’s independent monotheistic religions and one of the fastest growing, with a significant presence throughout the United States. Bahá’ís view the world’s major religions as part of a single, progressive process through which God reveals His will to humanity. Major Bahá’í tenets include the oneness of humanity, equality of men and women, eradication of prejudice, harmony of science and religion, universal education and world peace.

Updates and background on the situation of the Bahá’ís in Iran are posted at iran.bahai.us. To learn more about the Bahá’í Faith in America, check www.bahai.us.

Tina Edraki, a Lafayette resident, is a member of the Lafayette Baha’i Local Spiritual Assembly.